The Philospher's Sword
by StarSword17
Summary: Ed and Al's quest to find the Philospher's Stone can be ended if they can learn the secrets of the Sword Alchemist's weapon, the Philospher's Sword and all its secrets and the rumor it has a means of discovering the location of the Philospher's Stone. R
1. Prologue

The hallways were silent as Edward and Alphonse Elric made their way towards Mustang's office. They had been ordered to return by Mustang by a weary-eyed messenger who caught up with the train at the next to last depot before their destination. The trip back had been a hot and miserable one crossing the barren land in the messenger's jeep. Yet they were here now, and the whole mystery of their being called back would be revealed.

For some odd reason today, Ed noticed as they walked in silence, hardly a soul stirred within Central. It was as though the place had been emptied of all life, or at least hidden from view.

They reached the entrance to Mustang's office when the door opened and Musang and Hawkeye stode out into the hallway, "Ah...Ed," Mustang began, his eyes somber.

"Whats up? Why have you called us back?" Ed asked in the ensuing silence.

"The Emperor and the Sword Alchemist are holding a banquet tonight and you and your brothers presence, Full Metal, were formally requested to attend by Sword. Think of it this way Ed," Mustang answered a mischevious grin playing in his eyes and at the slump of Ed's shoulders, "I am sparing you the embarrasment of not showing up. Not when Sword requests your prescence."

"Okay, why is this Sword Alchemist so important that a request from Sword is so 'embarrasing' as you put it?" Ed asked as he glowered at Mustang.

"The Sword Alchemist is the one and only trusted guard of the Emperor and the guardian of a object that might be of interest to you and finding the Philospher's Stone. Also, very few people beyond the Emperor and those closest to him have ever seen Sword and a request to attend from Sword is something not to be ignored." Mustang answered, the mischeviousness gone.

"I see," Ed answered, "Very well then, but I am only going becuase of this 'object' and its link to the Philospher's Stone. Don't you agree, Al?"

"Sure, Brother." Al answered his eyes away.

"Good then, its settled. Go to the Emperor's castle tonight at seven, Hawkeye and I will meet you there. Do yourself a favor, Full Metal, take a bath and get some formal clothing, unfortunatly you stink."

"Gee thanks, Mustang." Ed growled in response, "Hey, where's Hughes? Usually he's run us over with a picture of his daughter by now, so where is he hiding? I haven't seen him since we arrived at Central today."

"Lietenant...I mean, Brigader General Hughes is no longer with us. He's dead, Ed. He was killed a week ago, we have investegated, but the Furor ordered a halt to the investigation after we were unable to discover who killed him. If you wish to go see him, go to the cemetary on the hill." Mustang answered as he pointed to the black band looped around his shoulder with a heavy sigh.

"He can't be, he saw us off..." Al began, his voice trailing as the memory of Hughes seeing them off resurfaced...

"Why?" Ed demanded and why the Furor's intereference?

"We must remain calm, boys, something foul reeks in this, I don't know what, but for now we must remain silent and let other means tell us how this happened...I have my suspicions, nothing more. Another reason to attend tonights banquet, the Furor will be present and other key officials who might have a clue on Hughe's murder." Mustang answered in a lower voice.

"Fine then, I have a reason to come then." Ed answered, his eyes burning embers.

Ed knealt beside the simple stone that marked Hughes resting place as all stood watching the sun set across the field of stones around them. The wind picked up and Ed was forced to push back his bangs to read the carvings on the stone, begging what his eyes saw to be false.

"We'll learn what happened Hughes," Ed sighed, "You took something important to the grave, didn't you, something that needed to be said, and was silenced. Mustang never said it, but we know still the same. That is the retribution I promise for this. The truth will be known, no lies."

"Brother, its about time for the banquet, isn't it?" Al asked.

"Yes, we best be leaving," Ed answered, "Good bye, Hughes."

They turned and walked away, the wind rising at their departure. From behind the trees that crowned the hill, Envy hid a smile as she too turned to leave.

A banquet, yes. What better time to begin their plans and force the swordarm of the Sword Alchemist. Sword wouldn't be able to deny the homucluli (sp) this time, they'd have what they wanted and needed for their own plans. She only regretted that she hadn't been able to kick Full Metal where he had knealt. It would have been so easy then...

Yet success was tangible and close now...so close, she could feel human blood runnign through her veins. The plan had to work, would work.


	2. The Meeting of Full Metal and Sword

The Emperal palace stretched solidly before Ed and Al as they approached. The building was alive with activity as figures darted from place to place, and others moved about more slowly.

"So, this is it, Al." Ed sighed as they walked to the gate.

"Yes, maybe Sword can tell us something useful tonight, but didn't you find it odd that Colonel Mustang didn't tell us Sword's name? Why would the name of Sword not be used? Isn't that disrespectful?" Al asked as he answered.

"It is, but it is also clever hiding Sword's name. No one has a clue who Sword really is, I glanced through some records before we came in the hope of learning something, and nothing, other than a long listing of Sword alchemists serving as guards for the Emperor. My guess is that a single clan has the duty and as each member dies off, another is choosen. However, it seems that this present Sword alchemist is very powerful, according to the records five years ago, a group of homoculi, then termed as assasins, but the abiliies the records described tell me otherwise, attempted to kill the Emperor. The old Imperial palace was destroyed in the battle between Sword and the group, but Sword won, that much is clear. Who ever we are meeting Al, is probably well capable of killing us if they so desired, even we haven't been able to defeat a single homoculi between the two of us..." Ed answered as they moved through the gates when a figure emerged from the crowd and joined them.

"Ed, didn't I tell you to wear something more formal?" Mustang growled as he stood in the ceremonial uniform of his rank.

"Are those puffs on your shoulder, Mustang?" Ed answered, a mischevious smirk crossing his face as he noticed the unifrom fully.

"Question Ed, how would you prefere to be fried? Original barbeque or extra crispy, pipsqueak?"

"Uh-oh," Al moaned.

"WHO ARE YA CALLING A PIPSQUEAK!" Ed roared as several stunned vistors in the crowd turned to glare at the two as they stood growling at one another.

"Brother, a crowd is forming, can you two call it quits?" Al asked.

"Sure, once he takes back the pipsqueak remark," Ed answered.

"Take back calling my shoulder guards 'puffs'." Mustang retorted.

"My, aren't you two fired up?" a young woman laughed as she emerged from the crowd.

Her plain dress, flailing white hair, and silver eyes caught Ed's attention. Something was different about her, he could tell, but what, he couldn't decide.

"Sorry, mam," Mustang answered as he strood away, casting a parting glare with Ed who answered with a affectionate snort at the colonel's back.

"Hello, my name is Edward Elric and this is my brother, Alphonse Elric." Ed answered as he indicated himself and Al to her, "And you are?"

"I am Leia Shieldar, and I am pleased to meet you Edward and Alphonse Elric. Or rather, Edward, aren't you the Full Metal Alchemist?" she answered.

"One and the same, so my name travels." Ed answered.

"Hmm yes," she answered, a distant look overcoming her, "I would like to speak to you, Elric brothers in a more quiet place, if you wouldn't mind."

"Sure, whats the problem?" Ed asked.

"I'll explain." was the answer as she threaded her way through the crowd moving towards a the palace.

They followed her inside the palace through the long and winding hallways till they came to a small, almost hidden, library. The books there, Ed noticed with slight boredom, were meaningless 'do-it' yourself works. Why here of all places to discuss something? Who was she and what was all this about? Much to their surprise, she stuck her head out the doorway once, closed the door and locked it behind her.

"Okay, isn't that a bit extreme? What could you possibly wish to discuss with us like this? Who are you, really? Is this a trap?" Ed demanded, his boredom evaporating as he raised his palms, ready to transmute his automal into a sword if need be.

"Calm down, Full Metal and I have my reasons. Yes, this 'extremeness' is important and no, its not a trap. As for who I am...I am the Sword Alchemist." she answered.

"You have got to be joking with me! You are the one who defeated a group of homoculi and destroyed the old Imperial palace?" Ed gasped from surprise.

She glared then, "Yes, and more like most of their kind, for yur information, Full Metal. Only the present survivors escaped me that night and even then, I nearly lost the battle then. Unfourtatly, yes, I accidently destroyed the palace in the battle. If you do not believe me, look at this sword, and you will understand." she answered as she held out a emerald green katana.

Ed took it in his hand and pulled it free from its sheath. The first thing he noticed about the sword was the interlocking transmutation circles that ran its length, and the one large one at the hilt. It was a heavy weapon he realized, but to Leia,s he had held it as though it were light, and that it seemed to smell of alchemic reactions. This sword, he decided, was not oridinary.

"Interesting weapon, I'll grant, but this still proves nothing." Ed answered as he handed it back.

"Fine, believe what you will, but at least hear me out," she sighed, "I need your help, Elric brothers. The homoculi, I can smell their influence and I fear their attempt on the Emperor's life once again, but that isn't what troubles me. Its the fact that they wish to either take the sword you just held, Edward, and use it for their own ends or extract my secrets from me by using the threat of another attempt on the Emperor's life again. Well that in itself is not a major threat to me, the source is what troubles me. The homoculi I fear have managed to worm their way into the military and thus found a even easier position to threaten the Emperor and myself. I wish Hughes hadn't been killed when he was, he knew something they didn't want to be told, had I only had a chance to speak with him, maybe I would know!"

"So, your saying Hughes' death ties in with this possibly?" Ed asked.

"Yes," she answered, "Will you help me? My last battle with the homoculi all but killed me, and I have not been able to recover all my strength, nor may I ever be able to. That battle, took a piece of myself away that can never be returned. I do not think, should they attack again, I would be able to walk away the winne again. Envy, Greed, and Gluntony, all three the most powerful of their kind and I, let the most dangerous ones escape."

"Sure, I haven't been exactly friendly with them and if their is a link in this to the death of Hughes, then yes, I'll gladly help you. That and what about this sword, what is it?"

"This, Full Metal, is the Philospher's Sword, the one object on this world capable of loacting the original Philospher's Stone and the sword that can heal or destroy nations, it all depends on how it is used and who weilds it. The homculi may never be able to use it to destroy nations, but its ability to find the orginal stone is something even the likes of them can use to find it."


End file.
